49th Iowa Regiment of Volunteer Infantry
Honored by Governor Chester Culver

February 12th, 2010, Iowa State Historical Museum, Des Moines, Iowa

Photo: Courtney Greene

On the 201st anniversary of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln, Brigadier General Steve E. Bogle, Deputy Adjutant General of the State of Iowa; and, representing the Honorable Chester Culver, Governor of the State of Iowa presented guardsmen of the 49th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment with a Gubernatorial Proclamation honoring their service to the State and Nation. In his proclamation Governor Culver named the Sons Veteran Reserve unit of the SUVCW (which is the official Honor Guard for the Department of Iowa) to be:

The Governor's Own Iowa Rifles.



This honor was afforded the Regiment by the Governor for their extraordinary efforts in the areas of public education concerning the American Civil War; their participation in patriotic events across the state and nation; their unflagging devotion to the cause of Veterans Affairs; and their extraordinary efforts at raising funds to repair and restore monuments to the service of Iowans in all of this nations conflicts, and especially the American Civil War (1861-1865).

In a formal presentation at the State Historical Museum, attended by a majority of the members of the Regiment, Brigadier General Bogle on behalf of the Governor issued this honor in the form of an official Proclamation and then accepted from the Regiment a certificate naming Governor Culver to be their honorary "Colonel in Chief".

Photo: Dana Peterson

It is believed that this honor may be the first of it's sort issued by a sitting Governor to any unit of the Sons Veteran Reserve (SUVCW). In November of 2009, the Regimented was presented with the Deputy Adjutant General of Iowa's personal Challenge Coin "For Excellence" by General Bogle, for it's efforts on behalf of Iowa's veterans. That award was the first to be awarded to a non-serving military unit.

Photo: Sheila Hanke

Photo: Courtney Greene

Photos: Dana Peterson